Printing scale



PRINTING SCALE Filed March 25, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 H i 1 1 1 rq ill lllfl INVENTOB Lawrence J. VV////0/775 WMM M ATTORN EYS L. S. WILLIAMS PRINTING SCALE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1946 INVENTOR Lawrence .3; Vl /'///c7/77$ 9; BY

ZiTOFQNEYS L. S. WiLLlAMS PRINTING SCALE Oct. 4, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .Filed March 23, 1946 INVENTOR Lawrence .S. H fiA ams Oct. 4, 1949. 1.. s. WILLIAMS PRINTING SCALE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 23, 1946 wwi m m R .0 m m m w w E i e c m r W K EQM a 5 BY AT ORNEYS Oct. 4, 1949. s, w L s 2,483,989

PRINTING SCALE Filed March 23, 1946 5 Shets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Lawrence .1 H 0/775 ATTOR Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING SCALE Lawrence S. Williams, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 23, 1946, Serial No. 656,761

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to printing scales of the type employing a printing type bearing member which is responsive to operation of the automatic load counterbalancing mechanism and is particularly concerned with such a printing scale when equipped with added capacity unit weights providing therefor a mechanism to print the additional weight being counterbalanced by the scale when the unit weights are operative.

It is an object of this invention to provide a printing scale capable of printing the weight of a load being weighed thereon in large clear figures when such weight is counterbalanced by the automatic load counterbalancing mechanism of a the scale or by the combination of the automatic mechanism and auxiliary load counterbalancing mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism for incorporation in a printing scale to permit the printing of the amounts of the load being counterbalanced by auxiliary load counterbalancing mechanism in line with the amounts being counterbalanced by automatic load counterbalancing mechanism.

. More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of scale embodying the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a rear elevational view of a weighing scale embodying the invention, parts of the housing being broken away.

Figure II is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of printing mechanism embodying the invention.

Figure III is a fragmentary view, taken substantially from the position indicated by the line III-III of Figure II.

Figure IV is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line IV-IV of Figure II,

Figure V is a further enlarged view, taken from the position indicated by the line V--V of Figure'III.

Figure VI is a still further enlarged fragmentary view of part of the mechanism shown in Figure II.

Figure VII is a fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic view of selecting mechanism shown in Figure II. 7

Figure VIII is a fragmentary portion of a printed weight ticket showing the printed indications of weight afforded by the present invention.

' Figure IX is a fragmentary view showing various portions of the weight indicia-bearing members.

Figure X is a fragmentary view showing details of the weight printing type and associated platens.

Figure XI is a view similar to Figure X but of a different portion of the series of weight indicating type.

Figure XII is a view similar to Figure IX but of weight indicia-bearing; members having indicia arranged thereon for a different series of values. 1

Figure XIII is a view similar to Figure X but of the printing type shown in Figure XII.

Figure XIV isa view similar to Figure XI but of the printing type shown in Figure XII.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows merely disclose and illustrate the invention and are not intended to impose limitations upon the claims.

a A load receiving platform and lever system (not shown) are connected to a vertical pull rod III which extends upwardly into the interior of a cabinet II. The upper end of the pull rod I0 is pivotally connected to a tare beam l2, which is pivoted upon a fulcrum stand l3 mounted within the cabinet II. A second pull rod I4 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the beam I2 and extends upwardly into the interior of a dial housing l5 which is mounted atop the cabinet II where the pull rod [4 is connected to automatic load counterbalancing mechanism enclosed within the housing [5.

The automatic load counterbalancing mechanism of the scale is operatively connected to a disk l6 which is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (Figure II) by an increase in load placed upon the load receiver. The disk I6 is swung through a distance proportional to the load placed upon the load receiver, being moved by the response of the load counterbalancing mechanism F to such load.

Auxiliary load counterbalancing mechanism is also provided in the weighing scale. This comprises a plurality of individual unit weights I! (Figure I) which may be successively and individually dropped on a jug weight l8 secured to the lower end of a rod is, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the tare beam !2 on the opposite side of the fulcrum point of the tare beam l2 from the connections between the pull rods lu and M and the tare 3 beam l2. The unit weights H are each capable of counterbalancing a predetermined load (in the embodiment shown this load is 1000 pounds per individual unit weight). The unit weights are deposited on the jug weight H! by means of a lever 25 which is fulcrumed in the cabinet II and from the end of which the unit weights are dependingly, supported. A hand lever 2!, mounted on the exterior of the cabinet H, is

provided to swing the lever 20 and lower the unit weights l'l' onto the jug weight 18. The lever 2= l slides over an arcuate stop member 22 which is provided with positioning points 23 to correctly locate the hand lever 21 withoneatwo, threeor four of the unit weights llflresti'ngon the jug weight 18.

As each of the individual unit weights is lowered it increases the load counterbalancing capacity of the scale by a fixed amount, in this case 1060 pounds per unit weight which increased capacityv must be overcome before the automatic load counterbalancing mechanism is called into play. Thus whether anyof the unit weights are operative, or whether one or more of the weights are in load counterbalancing position, the automatic load counterbalancing mechanismof the scale always counterbalances a numberof pounds between and 1000.

The printing disk I fi hasa plurality of notches 2 1, main its periphcry. and a series or printing type 25 (Figure VI) corresponding to, such notches. The series of printing type 25 representstens and. hundreds increments of weight.

Associated with the printing disk is an aren ate type-bearing member 26 which bears a series or type 27 representing units increments of weight. The arcuate typesbearing member ismovable inthe same plane asthe plane: of rotation of thetype disk lfi-and islocated adjacent theperiphery or the type disk .I 6. The arcuate typeebearing member 26 is riveted -on the lower .end of an arm 26 which is pivoted, as at, 29, on a plate 3drboltedlto a frame}! located withinthe dial housing l5, The upper endof the 23 is pivotally connected by a pin 32 (see also FigureVI-I) to the upper endof a ratchet,

rotatio of the type disk: l6-and carries a series, of teeth 35 which extend circumferential-11y (with respect to the type disk l6) ,a distanceequal to the distance between any, adjacent pair of the,

notchesi i in theperiphery of the type disk. [6.

llselecting: pawl-36.;is mounted on anarm 31 which is a portion of a tWo-part,bell .crank.38

pivoted in ear 3g; of -the, plate 311.- Thebell crank '38v comprises the arm 31, a shortarm 38a integral'therewith and alonger armiflb which is' pivoted concentrically with the arms3'l and 38afandlresiliently, connected to the arm 38a by a spring 380. The arm 38b;is connected by..

means fo'fa link 16 to a roller]! which rides on theperiphery of an operating cam. 42 rotated by a motor 43 mounted in the upper part of the dial housing l5. The selecting pawl 36, is located just above the edge of the type disk 16.

The type disk 15 extends downwardly between an abutment 4 3 (Figure IV) and a platen 45 which are slidable on a pair of horizontal rods, 43 secured to the frame of the scale, and movabletoward each other by the actionof a printing solenoid 5! which, when energized, moves its core rod 48 upwardly and, through links 49,; squeezes the platen and abutment together. An

4 inked ribbon 50 passes over the face of the platen 45 to register impressions of the type borne by the type disk l6 and arcuate member 26 on a ticket 5| which may be inserted between the ribbon and the type-bearing disk 16 and arcuate member 26.

A transversely slidable platen face 52 (Figures II, III; IV, and-V 1) extends horizontally through thespace between the abutmentmlvandthe platen 45 in back of the ribbon 55 which passes over the platen face 52. The platen face 52 is horizontally slidable in a pair of slotted arms 53 which are bolted to the sides of the platen 45. The platen facev 52-has five rectangular plateaus 54 (Figure VI) on its inner face which are each of an area equal to the area occupied by one indicium in theseries of indicia 25 and one indicium in the series of indicia 2?. The face of theplaten face 52 also has four smaller plateaus 55, 56, 51 and 53, eachone of whch is located above a respective one of .the plateaus 54. The

four smaller plateaus 55, 56, 51 and 58 are spaced:

a. successively further distance from theupper edge of the plateaus 54 with which they are associated (except the plateau 55 which may be.

a continuation of the adjacent plateau54) and are each of an area equal .to thearea occupied by one of the typenumerals l, 2,;3-or Lin anygone set'of such type included in .a series of such sets of type 55 which is located on the typedisk [5;

inside the series of :indicia 25... Theprinting indicia 25;. are successive sincehthey represent increased loads to be wei hedon thescale butall;

thesets of numeralsin the series 59zare the same since they represent the weights which are coune terbalanced by one, two, three. orfour of the unit:

weights I L One end of the platen face 52 is connected to. a-

slide 60 by means of a bolt 61. whichpasses through an ear, 62'of the platen face 52:and is threaded through an arm 63 bolted to the slide 60; The head of theboltfilis knurled .topermit adjustment-of theplaten face-52 relative to the id 9;

which supports the slide rods 46-'and solenoid 547.

of the platen face 52.

The slide 50 andthe platen face 52,=are,moved horizontally by mea ns oi a link 6i}; (Figures I,:

II, 'III and'V I) which is connected to a bell crank;

5S, pivoted on the interior of the dial housing I5 W shn t n l k W ev con e ted r a pull rod H to the unit weight lifting le /c1125,-

The inked l'lbbOIlfiU behind which the platen face 52 is movable, is only slightly wider than the horizontal width of one of the,p lateaus 5 i.

If a load, 0t insuihcientweightto require the use of the auxiliary load counterbalancingimechanism is weighed on the scale, the unitweight lever 20 is in the uppermost position showndn Figure I'-and none of ith e unit weightsflljare resting on the jug weight 18'.- with thehunit weight lever up, the slide 60 and the platen face 52 are.at the limit of their movement to the left (Figures I; ngn-r-and vn and the firstone,

(extreme right) of the plateaus 54 is located in backof the ribbon 50;- The load on the scale,

through the medium ofthe automatic load cou nterbalancing mechanism, rotates the ty'pe disk l6.unti1. that .one of. the notches 24 ini the peripheryv of. the type disk?! 5 which corresponds to the The slide 60 is movable vonla. rod 64. which extends horizontally from the main frame 5 hundreds and tens increment of weight of the load is positioned tothe left of the selecting pawl 36. The exact position of the notch corresponding to the hundreds and tens increments of the load is, of course, determined by the amount of load above the value represented by the particu lar notch. The position of the particular one of the notches 24- with respect to the teeth in the upper end of the ratchet lever 33 is also determined by the units increment of load. When itisdesired to print the weight of the load on the scale the motor 43 is energized which rotates the cam 42 in a clockwise direction pulling upwardly on the link and swinging the bell crank 38 in a counterclockwise direction. This slides the selecting pawl 36 down an inclined member 12 (Figure VII) on which the pawl 36 rests and into engagement with the periphery of the type disk l6. The edge of the pawl 36 slides along the type disk until it enters that one of the notches 24 corresponding to the hundreds and tens value of the load which is in line with that one of the teeth 35 corresponding to the units value of the load. Ihe edge of the pawl 36 then enters that particular one of the teeth 35 and continues with the type disk It to move to the left in Figure VII until it jams against a stop 13 atwhich time the type disk it has been rotatedin a counterclockwise direction a suflicient distance to move the proper indicium in the series 25 into position to be squeezed by the first of the plateaus 54. Also the ratchet lever 33 has been swung far enough to move the arm 23 and the arcuate type-bearing member 25 to line up that indicium in the series 23' which corresponds to the units increment of the weight of the load, with the first of the plateaus 54. The solenoid 41 isthen energized and the type disk It and the arcuate member 26 squeezed against the ticket 5| and ribbon to print an indication of the weight as shown by the numerals 424 in Figure VIII.

If the weight of the load on the scale is sufficient to require the use of one of the unit weights II, the hand lever 2| is moved downwardly until it is engaged in the first of the positioning points 23 in the arcuate member 22 which, through the linkage connecting the unit weight lever 20 to the slide 60, moves the slide until the ball 65 is engaged in the second one of the notches 65 in the rod 64. This locates the second one of the plateaus 54 and the single numeral plateau 55 back of the ribbon 50 in printing position and, therefore, when the abutment 44 and platen 45 are squeezed together the platen 55 will print 1 and the second one of the plateaus 54 will print 424 as shown by the numerals 1424 in Figure VIII.

Similarly, if the weight of the load on the scale were 2424 pounds, 3424 pounds or 4424 pounds, and either two, three or four of the unit weights I! were lowered on the jug weight l8, the slide would be located in the third, fourth, or fifth one of the notches and the third, fourth or fifth ones of the'plateaus 54 and their associated plateaus 50, 51 or 58 respectively would be positioned behind the ribbon 50 to print the weights as shown by the numerals 2 424, 3 424, 4 244 in Figure VIII.

The figures comprising the series of printing type 25 and the series of sets of type 59 must be varied when the maximum capacity of the scale is varied and also when the smallest increment of weight is varied. For example, in Figure IX there is shown the type which would be employed on the member 26 and-the disk It, for a weighing scale having an automatic counterbalancing capacity of 500 pounds by increments of 0.5 pound and additional load counterbalancing capacity in increments of 500 pounds. The series of type 25 (the first two figures on the right side of the disk It as shownin Figure IX) prints the tens and hundreds digits of any printed weight figure. The sets of type 59 for a scale of this capacity consists of the numerals 2, 1, 1 and, in the fourth position, 5, 6, '7, 8, l9: ((10.3), I V

Figure X illustrates the relative positions of the type and the plateaus 54 and 55, 56, 51, and 58. In this figure there is diagrammatically shown the type and plateaus which would cooperate to print a weight indication for the values of 100 pounds, 600 pounds, 1100 pounds, 1600 pounds and 2100 pounds, reading in that order from top to bottom in Figure X.

Figure XI illustrates the relative cooperation of the plateaus and type at full capacity positions of the indicia-bearing disk [6 and shows the cooperation between the plateaus and type at. loads of 500 pounds, 1000 pounds, 1500 pounds,

2000 pounds and 2500 pounds. Inasmuch as the total weight, at full capacity of the automatic load counterbalancing mechanism plus one 500 pound increment of the additional load counter plc 2000.

A similar problem is encountered in scales hav ing other maximum automatic load counterbah ancing capacities and minor increments of weight. For example, in Figures XII, XIII and XIV, the figures and plateaus illustrated are arranged for a scale having an automatic load counterbalancing capacity of 1000 pounds by 1 pound with unit weights each having a load counterbalancing capacity of 1000 pounds. As

can be seen in Figure XII the numerals comprisspaced as shown in Figures XIII and XIV so that ing the set of type in the series 59 which are employed at full capacity must consist of five digits 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which must be indication can properly be afforded at positions such as that shown in Figure XIII or at full capacity as shown in Figure XIV.

The embodiment of the invention that has been disclosed may be modified to meet various requirements.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a weighing scale having automatic load counterbalancing mechanism, manipulative increased capacity load counterbalancing mechanism and an indicia-bearing member responsive to operation of said automatic mechanism, in

combination, a series of consecutive indicia on.

said indicia-bearing member, a series of repetitive increased capacity indicia on said indiciabearing member, said series of repetitive indicia comprising numerals corresponding to the increased load counterbalanced by said manipula tive mechanism, means for exhibiting that one of said consecutive indicia corresponding to the escapes value of a load automatically counterbalanced and-a platenstrip positionable according to the position oi said manipulative mechanism for se lecting certain of said repetitiveindici'a i or eX- hibition with said consecutive indioia to-directly indicate the total load counterbalanced by both said lead counterbalancing mechanisms.

2; In a Weighing scale having automatic load counterbalancing mechanism, manipulative in-- creased capacity load counterbalancing mocha-- ni'srn and aprinting-indicia-b'earing member responsive to operation of said automatic'm'echanism, in combination; a series ofconsecutive indicia' on said printin'g-indicia-bearing member representing values of loads capable of being counterbalanced by said automaticmechanism, a series of repetitive indicia on said printingindicia-bearingmember, each indicium in said repetitive series being adjacentoneof the indiciain said consecutive series and comprising'aset of numerals each of which representsa-fixed value of load capable of being counterbalanced by said manipulative mechanism, and means operated by manipulation of said manipulative mechanism-to cause that one oi-such numerals representing-the value of the portion of-the total load on said scale which is counterbalanced by said manipulative mechanism to be printed adjacent that indicium in said'consecutive series ofindicia representing that portion of the totalloa'd'on said scale which is counterbalanced by said automatic mechanism.

3. In aweighing scale having automatic load counter-balancing mechanism, manipulative in creased capacity load counterbalancing mechnism anda printing-indicia-bearing member responsive to operation of saidautomatic loadmechanism, in combination, a series of consecutive indicia on saidindioia-bearing member cor responding to the values of portions of loads" ing to that portion or a load counterbalanced by said manipulative mechanism.

4. Printing mechanism for a weighing scale having automatic load counterbalancing mechanism and an element movable in proportion to the load counterbalanced thereby and manipulative increased capacity load counterbalancing mechanism comprising, in combination, a series of consecutive printing indici'a on said element corresponding to values of loads counterbalanced by said automatic mechanism, a plurality of groupsof repetitive printing in'dicia on said element, each of said groups being positioned; adjacent one of the indicia in said series of consecutive printing indicia; each of said groups of repetitive printing in-dicia comprising numerals corresponding to the values of the portions of the load counterbalanced by said'niani-pulati've mechanism, and means operatively connected to said manipulative means for selectively printing that one of such numerals corresponding to that portion of'th'e total load being counterbalanced by said manipulative" including a member 8 V mechanism and that one of said series of con: secutive printing indicia corresponding to" that portion of the total load being counterbalanced by said automatic mechanism in juxtaposition to indicate the value of the total load being counterbalanced;

5. Printing mechanism for a weighing" scale having automatic load counterbalancing mechanismand an element movable in propomonto theload counterbalanced thereby and manipulat tive increased capacityload counterbalanclng' mechanism comprising; in combination, a series of consecutive printing indicia on said element corresponding to values of loadscounterbalanced by said automatic mechanism; a plurality of groups of repetitive-printing indicia on-said-ele= merit, each of said' groups being positioned adjacent one of the indicia in said-series of corn secutive printing indicia, each of said groups of repetitive priiitirig iri dicia comprising numerals corresponding to the values of the portions of the load counterbalanced by said manipulative mechanism, anda selective printing means-coniprising a platen having a-printin'g are'a'for-printingithat one of'the indiciain'said series ofconsecutive printing iridicia corresponding to that portion of the total load being-counterbalancedby said automatic mechanism on each-printing operation and selectable printingareas-position able according to the position of said nia'r'iipu'la tive mechanism-for printing that one-of the numerals comprising the adjacent one of said groups of repetitive'printing'indicia correspond-- ing to that portion of the total load being Coors terbalanced by said manipulative mechanism.

secutive printing indicia, each of said-'g roups-of repetitive printing indi'cia cemprisi'ng numerals corresponding to the values of the portions of the load counterbalanced by said manipulative mechanism, a moi-Cole printing platen having a printing area inline with the indieia in said series of consecutive printing indicia and a printing area in line withea'chof the numerals comprising one of said groups of 're'petitive print ing indi'cia-arrd means'operated by 'said manipulative mechanism for moving into printin'g'position that' one of the last mentione'd 'printlng are'as corresponding to that portion of the load being counterbalanced by said manipulative manna: nism.

LAWRENCES'. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED' The following references are of record in'the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PArEN-Ts Number Name Date 2,291,150 Dimick' et al-. i July-281 1942" 2,331,092 Hem O ct 5, 1943" 2 343 523 Williams Mar. -7,-' 1 944 

